[OBF]

I know this is an old question, but I'm going to help a friend put together a very low cost surround system that would be used mostly for movies and 2 ch audio, but possibly also some multichannel music.

It looks like we'll start building around one of the sony digital receivers, and that will really only leave speakers.  I think the MOST I'll have to work with is $500 and maybe less.  Not a lot of options other than a cheap package like the Energy Take 5.2s, but I figured I'd ask in case someone knows of some hidden gems out there.  Used would be fine if something was available.  He's actually got a pair of the little Michaura speakers people were buying from Ubid, and they could be rear speakers, or they could be sold.

Any great suggestions  ?

[Marbles]

Get 2 or 3 speakers for now and upgrade him to surrounds later when he has the $$$

[Rocket]

hi,

the only speakers i can think of would be norh, i think they have a special on norh 6.1's for $500us delivered.

i agree with marbles, by a pair good quality pair now and buy the rest later.

as an alternative if you friend is any good at woodwork get him to check out zalytron who have many good quality kits available for sale.

regards

rocket

[OBF]

Both are reasonable suggestions, thanks.

My friend isn't really much into audio equipment and that's why I though the C70ES would be perfect, but that also means he's not cash limited, but rather budget limited.  He could afford to spend more now, he just isn't too interested so the idea of buy the best now then buy more later won't really work.  However, I've heard both sides of the story on how matched surrounds are/are not that important, and I found the front 3 of a Velodyne HT set that originally retailed for $3k (5 sats + sub) on ebay.  I wonder if those would work fine with his Michauras as rears and have a couple hundred left over to think about adding a sub????????

[Sa-dono]

Why not buy the S50ES and spend the difference towards better speakers?

[OBF]

Why not buy the S50ES and spend the difference towards better speakers?

That's what I'd do, but he wants the changer.  Looks like I'm buying Jonathan's C70, so the cost is not as big factor.

Anyone know if this Klipsch KG 2.5 based system would be any good in the $500 range?  Only because they are local.

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=dpowers96&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50

[gary]

no question about it... omage av21. they're $70, and the center is $70. (okay, maybe $75 now that the canadian exchange rate has gotten a little worse)

i used to have energy encores, and these things just kill them (i have to qualify that by saying i never compared them directly, just speaking from memory here). if you search this site, audioasylum, and avsforum you'll see several people raving about them. if you look at my profile (GaryAR) over at avsforum you can see several pictures of them in the gallery. build quality and components is about what you'd expect to see if you were paying $250, not less than 1/3 of that.

i got mine from these guys, they shipped the next day:
http://www.master-vox.com/index_e.html

-gary

[OBF]

no question about it... omage av21. they're $70, and the center is $70. (okay, maybe $75 now that the canadian exchange rate has gotten a little worse)

i used to have energy encores, and these things just kill them

So they're that good huh?  Sure sounds like a steal at those prices, but I wonder how they could build them so cheaply and still sound good.  I'll do some checking.

Thanks.

[Thump553]

I agree with Gary about the Omage speakers.  I bought a pair for my daughter to take to college  The total cost was about $95-100 for a pair shipped and the reccommended vendor was very quick on shipping-Canada to CT was about 5 days or so from placing of order.

I didn't have a chance to do a real through break-in or auditioning of these speakers before they left again, but I did listen to them for a half hour or so with about 24 break-in and was very impressed.

Do a search here under "omage" or at audioasylum for more info and the name of the dealer who sells them.

They are made in China and are 6 ohm speakers.

[customht]

Have you considered a Danish made speaker available here in the states?

Jamo A310 5.1 package
www.jamo.com

[seti]

if you want small try acoustic energy aego
if you want cheap try logitech w/ tangband drivers
if you want good and not so small, try whatmough